Chapter 1

My boyfriend, Daniel, never lied.

He said I had a ‘fat gene’ that would shorten my life, so I needed to diet. I bit back my protest and agreed.

He told me I was a bad omen for my parents, that my presence could harm their health, so I had to stay away. After much agonizing, tears blurring my vision, I agreed.

Then he claimed my features weren’t ‘right’ for our future, that they needed to be ‘adjusted’ for our marriage to work. After agonizing over it, I still said yes.

The day of the surgery, lying in the operating room, it suddenly hit me: I was allergic to a certain anesthetic.

As I got off the bed to find a nurse, I accidentally overheard voices just outside the door.

“It’s been six years since you broke up, and you still can’t let go of Lily?”

Daniel’s voice, sickeningly familiar, came from just beyond the door. “Yeah, Lily’s etched into my very soul. I can’t let go.”

“Since I’m destined to marry someone else, I’ll just try my best to make Chloe look more like Lily, then even more…”

After a long silence, Daniel’s casual, almost dismissive voice floated back. “Honestly, Chloe is so easy to mold. I tell her anything, and she just goes along with it.”

In that instant, I felt like the most ridiculous fool alive.

Luckily, it wasn’t too late. The wedding plans could still be adjusted.

“Hello, wedding plans have changed. Please replace the bride with a scarecrow.”